The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 1

IV. Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus—“Immortal Soul” and “Eternal Fire” Problems

At this point note must be taken of pertinent statements in the not too well known Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus (c. A.D. 130). Some place it in the early third century. Moehler called it a “brilliant gem of Christian antiquity.” It was an answer from an unidentified Christian—who was a master of Greek style—to an inquiry from the distinguished pagan Diognetus, believed by some to have been the tutor of Marcus Aurelius. ⁴⁹ Diognetus had asked a series of questions: What God do the Christians trust in? Why do they “despise death”? What is the explanation of their mutual love? What is their mode of worship, and what is the difference between Christian beliefs and those of the Greeks and Jews? ⁵⁰ CFF1 796.2

This epistle may be considered a connecting link between the shorter exhortations of the Apostolic Fathers and the elaborate apologies of Justin Martyr and his successors. It was at one time wrongly attributed to Justin. It emphasizes godly living rather than dogmatic beliefs. Yet it combats with vigor the twin errors of the Jews and the Greeks, and shows familiarity with Pauline and Johannine teachings. It is believed to have been written in the mid-second century, and is therefore placed at the close of the line of Apostolic Fathers. (See Tabular Chart F.) CFF1 796.3

marcusstop Mathetes’ well-phrased answer—which might well have sufficed for a formal written defense presented to a judge—comprises ten chapters, plus two at the close recognized by all as a later spurious appendage. It is an earnest vindication of Christianity, a book of Christian evidences. In chapter two it portrays the vanity of worshiping idols, which are deaf, blind, insensible, without life or locomotion—and are corruptible. Then in chapter three the writer discusses the sacrifices of the Jews, and the Creator, “who stands in need of nothing.” Their meats, ceremonial sabbaths and new moons, and circumcision are now useless. ⁵¹ CFF1 797.1

1. PUT TO DEATH; RESTORED THROUGH RESURRECTION

Chapter five deals with the paradoxical life of the Christians. As do other citizens, they dwell in their native lands, yet are “foreigners” and “sojourners.” They are regarded as aliens by the Jews, and are persecuted by the pagans. But there is no marked difference. CFF1 797.2

“They are in the flesh, but they do not live after the flesh. They pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven. They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same time surpass the law by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to life.” ⁵² CFF1 797.3

This restoration, or coming to life, refers, of course, to the resurrection at the last day. And Mathetes adds, “When punished, they rejoice as if quickened into life.” ⁵³ The blessed hope of the Second Advent was ever before them. CFF1 797.4

2. THE RELATIONSHIP OF SOUL AND BODY

In chapter six Mathetes puts “The Relation of Christians to the World” in this way: CFF1 797.5

“What the soul is in the body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians dwell in the world, yet are not of the world.” ⁵⁴ CFF1 797.6

Then he adds, “The flesh [the world] hates the soul [the Christians], and wars against it.” Nevertheless, “the soul loves the flesh that hates it.” ⁵⁵ That is why the Christians, although they are punished through persecution, “increase in number daily.” ⁵⁶ CFF1 798.1

3. FIRST USE OF “IMMORTAL SOUL” IN CHRISTIAN WRITINGS

And now follows apparently the first use of the expression “immortal soul” in a Christian work. It is, however, used in a conditional sense; otherwise it would be in conflict with other clear statements in the same treatise. According to two scholarly investigators, Dr. Emmanuel Petavel, of the University of Lausanne, and Prof. Charles F. Hudson, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, this is, indeed, the first use in any early Christian work of the phrase “immortal soul.” ⁵⁷ Here is the statement, continuing the figure of soul and body: CFF1 798.2

“The immortal soul dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling (note 10: “literally, ‘incorruption”’), in the heavens.” ⁵⁸ CFF1 798.3

4. CHRIST SENT AS “GOD” AND “SAVIOUR”; COMES LATER AS JUDGE

In chapter seven (“The Manifestation of Christ”) Mathetes tells how God sent not an angel or other emissary to this earth, but sent as His Messenger the “very Creator and Fashioner of all things.” He came not to inspire “terror” but to proclaim “clemency.” The Father sent Christ “as a king sends his son,” as a Saviour, “seeking to persuade, not to compel.” He came not as a judge. But Mathetes adds, “He will yet send Him to judge us, and who shall endure His appearing?” ⁵⁹ Thus the solemnity of the Second Advent is introduced. CFF1 798.4

5. EVERY BLESSING CONFERRED THROUGH CHRIST

In chapter eight (“The Miserable State of Men Before the Coming of the Word”), after touching on the “vain and silly doctrines” of the “philosophers,” Mathetes tells how the true and living God, the “friend of mankind,” sent all blessings in Christ: CFF1 798.5

“He revealed and laid open, through His beloved Son, the things which had been prepared from the beginning. He conferred every blessing (note 5: “literally, ‘all things”’), all at once upon us, so that we should both share in His benefits, and see and be active [in His service].” ⁶⁰ CFF1 799.1

6. CHRIST, INCORRUPTIBLE AND IMMORTAL; MAN, CORRUPTIBLE AND MORTAL

Discussing, in chapter nine, “Why the Son Was Sent So Late,” Mathetes says that God sought to convince mankind “of our [man’s] unworthiness of attaining life through our own works.” Life must come through the “kindness of God.” Christ came to make “manifest” that “in ourselves we were unable to enter into the kingdom of God,” but that “we might through the power of God be made able.” ⁶¹ When “wickedness had reached its height,” its “reward” became clearly revealed as “punishment and death.” Then, in this connection we are declared corruptible and mortal, and lost without Christ. Here is his comprehensive description of praise, contrasting the immortal Christ: CFF1 799.2

“He Himself took on Him the burden of our iniquities, He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange! O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the righteousness of One should justify many transgressors!” ⁶² CFF1 799.3

Thus man became “convinced ... that our nature was unable to attain to life,” and the Saviour was revealed as the only One “who is able to save.” And so God leads us “to esteem Him [Christ] our Nourisher, Father, Teacher, Counsellor, Healer, our Wisdom, Light, Honour, Glory, Power, and Life.” ⁶³ He is the source of our life and immortality. CFF1 799.4

7. ETERNAL FIRE; BOTH A PROCESS AND A TERMINATION

Continuing the theme in chapter ten (“The Blessings That Will Flow From Faith”), Mathetes declares that God “made the world” for man, whom He loved, and gave him “reason and understanding,” imparting the privilege of looking upward to God, and promising him a “kingdom in heaven,” which He will give “to those who have loved Him.” Mathetes then says that when we see the “deceit and error of the world” and “suffer punishment,” we while still on earth shall “know what it is to live truly in heaven.” And now comes his key statement on the destruction of the wicked by eternal fire: CFF1 800.1

“Thou shalt despise that which is here esteemed to be death, when thou shalt fear what is truly death, which is reserved for those who shall be condemned to the eternal fire, which shall afflict those even to the end that are committed to it. Then shalt thou admire those who for righteousness’ sake endure the fire that is but for a moment, and shalt count them happy when thou shalt know [the nature of] that fire.” ⁶⁴ CFF1 800.2

Hudson observes, “This cannot denote the common view of punishment without end.” Rather, it means the fire that “will exterminate.” ⁶⁵ Matlletes evidently believed in the consistency of two ideas that are often held to be incompatible—the thought of “eternal fire” as a punishment, and the thought of that punishment’s ultimately having an “end.” The difference lies between the expression “even to the end,” or until the end, and that which would be without, an end—a condition that Mathetes neither states nor implies. Here a work of inexorable destruction is portrayed, and its final result. To Mathetes, “destroy” obviously indicates both a process and a termination. Mathetes adds that those who are martyred here “endure the fire that is but for a moment,” in contrast with the fire that is for the wicked, ⁶⁶ and which ends in their destruction. CFF1 800.3

That is all, and that is his climax. The witness is fragmentary, but it is clearly indicative of Mathetes’ continuance of the Apostolic Fathers’ positions. CFF1 801.1